By Sean Mitton

Most Canadian Olympians have trained for 2-3 years or longer in pursuit of their Olympic dreams. In the final weeks before the Opening ceremonies, what's left to do? Former Canadian Silver Medalist Marianne Limpert has some thoughts based on her own past experiences.

Limpert was a silver medalist in the 1996 games in Atlanta, where she won the 200 Individual Medley. Today, she works for NB Power in community relations, located in Fredericton, NB."At this point, athletes have minimized public appearances and have a game plan in place. It's important for friends and family to know when there's time for interaction and when they need to stay focused on the competition," Limpert states. "The training is done and the last month is mainly about mental preparation."

For that reason, it's no surprise that many athletes have sports psychologists, along with their coaches, who help them with visualization, focus and the creation of plans to minimize distractions. "They also plan for contingencies, when last minute challenges occur," Limpert comments.

When asked what message the three-time Olympian would share with first time Olympians, a couple thoughts came to mind. "Enjoy the experience as much as you can and seek a mentor. I was fortunate to get great feedback from Canadian Gold medalist Mark Tewksbury in my first games. By my third Olympics, I was a lot more comfortable and was able to help other athletes," Limpert comments.

Limpert looks forward to watching the Winter Olympics on her couch in Fredericton. She'll nervously cheer on her fellow Canadians. "It's easier to participate than being a spectator. At least you have control", says Limpert.